The invention pertains to digital data processing and, more particularly, by way of nonlimiting example, to automated workflow definition and processing. The invention has application, for example, in process control, environmental control, computer aided manufacturing, and other industrial and non-industrial applications.
Automated workflow processing is increasingly common in today's manufacturing plants. Conventional solutions provide general capabilities for interfacing plant equipment to identify events and take specific responsive actions. However, those solutions provide for only rudimentary workflow definition and require special-purpose programs to model plant operations of complexity. The conventional solutions, moreover, provide only limited interfaces, accepting data from and outputting data to only specific hardware devices and software applications.
This runs counter to modern trends, wherein plant owners—and, more generally, all those who own or run process control, environmental control, computer aided manufacturing, and other industrial and non-industrial applications—may wish to “mix and match” hardware devices and software solutions. Thus, for example, different areas of the plant floor and, certainly, of an enterprise as a whole may use different process control, environmental control, computer aided manufacturing, and other industrial and non-industrial equipment. The same is true of software (whether it be for control, “back office” reporting and analysis, and/or other applications) used on the plant floor and/or by the enterprise.
Significantly, this also runs counter to a trend for increased data distribution and visibility. Continuing the above example, those who own or run process control, environmental control, computer aided manufacturing, and other industrial and non-industrial applications, may wish to distribute data among different areas of the plant floor and/or within the enterprise as a whole, regardless of any existing diversity of hardware and software used. They may wish to do this to improve control, as well as reporting and analysis, on the plant floor and/or by the enterprise.
An object of this invention is to provide improved digital data processing systems and methods.
Another object is to provide such systems and methods as are suited to workflow definition and/or processing.
A further object is to provide such systems and methods as provide increased flexibility and workflow modelling processing over conventional systems.
A still further object is to provide such systems and methods as facilitate the mixing and integration of hardware devices and/or software solutions, e.g., whether for improved control, reporting, analysis, or otherwise, on a plant floor, in an enterprise, or otherwise.
Yet still another object of the invention is to provide such systems and methods as facilitate data distribution and visibility, e.g., among hardware devices and/or software solutions, whether of diverse varieties or otherwise.